After the combat at the tower of joy, Ned went to Starfall to inform House Dayne of Ser Arthur Dayne's death and return to them his greatsword, Dawn. Ashara jumped from the top of the Palestone Sword, one of the towers of Starfall, into the sea, but her body was never recovered.[4] Ashara is said to have done so because of a broken heart,[4] with some blaming a stillborn child,[3] a stolen child,[6] or grief over Arthur's death.[4]

Eddard returned to Winterfell with the infant Jon Snow. This sparked rumors that Ashara had been the mother of Ned's bastard,[7] and that grief at learning that her lover had been responsible for her brother's death was the cause of her suicide.[2][4] The stern Lord Stark halted all gossip at Winterfell that Ashara was Jon's mother.[2]

Quotes

Ashara Dayne, by Jena Velour

“

How dare you play the noble lord with me! What do you take me for? You've a bastard of your own, I've seen him. Who was the mother, I wonder? Some Dornish peasant you raped while her holdfast burned? A whore? Or was it the grieving sister, the Lady Ashara? She threw herself into the sea, I'm told. Why was that? For the brother you slew, or the child you stole?[6]

Lady Ashara Dayne. It's an old tale, that one. I heard it once at Winterfell, when I was no older than you are now. I doubt there's any truth to it. But if there is, what of it? When Ned met this Dornish lady, his brother Brandon was still alive, and it was him betrothed to Lady Catelyn, so there's no stain on your father's honor. There's nought like a tourney to make the blood run hot, so maybe some words were whispered in a tent of a night, who can say? Words or kisses, maybe more, but where's the harm in that? Spring had come, or so they thought, and neither one of them was pledged.[4]

She died never knowing that Ser Barristan had loved her. How could she? He was a knight of the Kingsguard, sworn to celibacy. No good could have come from telling her his feelings. No good came from silence either. If I had unhorsed Rhaegar and crowned Ashara queen of love and beauty, might she have looked to me instead of Stark?[3]